Primary Soil Contaminants and Their Risks, and Their Relationship to Myocardial Infarction Susceptibility in Urban Krakow (Poland)

We recorded the concentrations, distributions and sources of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), along with zinc (Zn), lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd), in soils from different areas of Krakow––the city-centre, industrial and residential zones––and from outside the city. Their relationships to the soil properties were examined, and associations were established between the soil pollution in the different areas and myocardial infarction (MI) incidences in 5054 hospitalised patients who had lived in Krakow for more than 30 years. The PAH and Cd concentrations exceeded threshold-effect levels in the city-centre and industrial zones, while Zn, Pb and phenanthrene exceeded probable-effect levels. Industrial incineration processes, coal combustion and petrol-powered vehicles are the main sources of the PAHs, Zn and Cd, while the Pb originates mainly from historical accumulation and the use of Pb-enriched petrol. The mean number of MI incidences in Krakow equated to 0.72% of the residents, while in the city-centre and industrial zones it was ~ 2.8 and 1.2%, respectively. In the residential zone, the mean number of MI incidences was < 0.5% of the residents. These results may suggest that differences in MI incidence in Krakow residents is, at least in part, linked to chronic PAH and heavy-metal exposure.